Gondola on the Chief
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ryan_boarder
- Junior Member
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 1:31 pm
Gondola on the Chief
Hey
Just read this on Gripped news... maybe it's old news, but it surpised me. Anyway it wouldn't hurt to send another e-mail to your local representatives.
Gondola on the Chief: Now the Fight is for Real
The BC Provincial government has recently announced it intends to allow a group of Whistler-based ski developers to formally solicit public support for their proposal to build a sight-seeing gondola to the Centre (Second) summit of the Chief. This proposition has been mooted for much of the last year, but of late had appeared to be dormant. Now it is coming forward with the encouragement of the BC government.
The gondola would have its base at the large gravel pit beside the Highway, south of the Chief campground, and would employ 15 or so towers to reach the Centre Peak where the summit area would be fenced off for tourists to shop and unload their money. The lift would hold 22 gondola cabins, look rather like the Excalibur lift on Blackcomb, and carry 880 tourists per hour to the top. It would cross over the Backside trail several times, and skim close by the South summit on its way to the top of the Centre Chief. Ironically, the place chosen for the top station, shopping and restaurant is precisely where, over the years, the ashes of many people have been spread, including Ben De Menech. Climbers descending off Bellygood Ledge would be greeted as they exit the trees by gondolas skimming close overhead with gawking tourists, and people on the South Summit would actually become a tourist attraction for those passing by on the gondola. It is quite reasonable to speculate that over time, the Chief would become branded as a de facto private enterprise, marketed and sold, and what is presently a public space would slowly become a private domain.
A new Squamish community group headed by Megan Olesky, The Friends of the Chief, is developing a campaign to try and derail the gondola, but very considerable support from a coalition of interests will be needed. If you wish to be placed on their email broadcast list, please write to Megan at: friendsofthechief@yahoo.ca.
-Kevin McLane
For now, we suggest emails be sent to the following:
Hon. Bill Barisoff, Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection:
(250) 387-1187 WLAP.Minister@gems9.gov.bc.ca
Mayor Ian Sutherland: 877-892-5217 isutherland@squamish.ca
Hon. Gordon Campbell, Premier: (250) 387-1715 premier@gov.bc.ca
Just read this on Gripped news... maybe it's old news, but it surpised me. Anyway it wouldn't hurt to send another e-mail to your local representatives.
Gondola on the Chief: Now the Fight is for Real
The BC Provincial government has recently announced it intends to allow a group of Whistler-based ski developers to formally solicit public support for their proposal to build a sight-seeing gondola to the Centre (Second) summit of the Chief. This proposition has been mooted for much of the last year, but of late had appeared to be dormant. Now it is coming forward with the encouragement of the BC government.
The gondola would have its base at the large gravel pit beside the Highway, south of the Chief campground, and would employ 15 or so towers to reach the Centre Peak where the summit area would be fenced off for tourists to shop and unload their money. The lift would hold 22 gondola cabins, look rather like the Excalibur lift on Blackcomb, and carry 880 tourists per hour to the top. It would cross over the Backside trail several times, and skim close by the South summit on its way to the top of the Centre Chief. Ironically, the place chosen for the top station, shopping and restaurant is precisely where, over the years, the ashes of many people have been spread, including Ben De Menech. Climbers descending off Bellygood Ledge would be greeted as they exit the trees by gondolas skimming close overhead with gawking tourists, and people on the South Summit would actually become a tourist attraction for those passing by on the gondola. It is quite reasonable to speculate that over time, the Chief would become branded as a de facto private enterprise, marketed and sold, and what is presently a public space would slowly become a private domain.
A new Squamish community group headed by Megan Olesky, The Friends of the Chief, is developing a campaign to try and derail the gondola, but very considerable support from a coalition of interests will be needed. If you wish to be placed on their email broadcast list, please write to Megan at: friendsofthechief@yahoo.ca.
-Kevin McLane
For now, we suggest emails be sent to the following:
Hon. Bill Barisoff, Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection:
(250) 387-1187 WLAP.Minister@gems9.gov.bc.ca
Mayor Ian Sutherland: 877-892-5217 isutherland@squamish.ca
Hon. Gordon Campbell, Premier: (250) 387-1715 premier@gov.bc.ca
Whether you think you can or you think you can't... you're right.
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ryan_boarder
- Junior Member
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 1:31 pm
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